Social Pages

05:42
By Jayne Rutledge


Before caller ID and cell phones (and, for a little while in the 90s, the short lived *69, of REM song fame), if you missed a call there was no way to figure out who called you. Now, you can see the number, but often not the name. This is a case where you might want to use a reverse phone number lookup for free, to figure out who the unidentified caller might be.

You may not be able to get all of the details about the caller. Many of these services will tell you the region from which they were calling, and whether it is a business or a residence. However, you may have to pay extra for further information, such as the name of the person or business that is calling.

However, if you do not want to pay this fee and therefore cannot access the full information, you might be able to explore additional options. Some of those websites have a bulletin board where users post information about particular numbers. If not, you may be able to find this information on another website by simply Googling the number.

This kind of info is helpful in several different situations. For example:

1. Calls from debt collectors. If you have ever been pursued by a debt collector, you know how relentless they are with the phone calls. Often, it is not the original creditor calling you, but a scavenger debt collector that has bought the debt from the originator. They want to catch you off guard, because if you answer and acknowledge that you own the debt, the statute of limitations resets, allowing the debt collectors to pursue you for a longer period of time.

2. You are the victim of the locksmith scam. This sounds made up, but it happens more often than you would think: a shady "locksmith" advertises their services, especially for emergencies. When you find yourself locked out of you home or car, you call them. They show up, either pick or break your locks, and claim that you owe them insane amounts of money, like $500 or $600 for a job that should cost $100 at the most. They take the money you have, and your information, and they call you over and over demanding the money. You will want to know the number so that you can avoid their calls. You also may be able to gain information that could help you report them to the Better Business Bureau.

3. A former girlfriend or boyfriend. This person is not longer saved in your contacts. When they call, you have a hunch it might be them, but you don't know for sure. You don't want to answer without knowing, because you don't want an awkward, flustered conversation. If you can figure out for sure it your ex calling, you can either prepare in advance or avoid the call altogether.

All of these are situations in which you might make use of a reverse phone number lookup for free. As soon as you know who is calling you, you can decide whether to answer, to ignore the calls, or to block the person from calling altogether. Remember, harassment is illegal, even over the phone.




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